


Rebuilding

by writetherest



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015), Wonder Woman (2017)
Genre: F/F, Secret Santa, Super Santa Femslash, mentions of past Diana/Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-17 21:16:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13085535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writetherest/pseuds/writetherest
Summary: Diana tries to recruit Kara for Bruce's superhero team. Kara is reluctant. Diana is convincing.





	Rebuilding

**Author's Note:**

  * For [only_because3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/only_because3/gifts).



> Written for only_because3 for the Super Santa Femslash exchange. 
> 
> I accidentally read your prompt wrong and thought you said that Kara and Diana rebuild the village, instead of the village already being rebuilt. Hope you still enjoy this!
> 
> Huge thanks to fictorium for the beta!
> 
> I played around with timelines from the canons to make this work and also stole some dialogue from _Dawn of Justice_ , _Supergirl_ , and _Wonder Woman_. It should all make sense though, thanks to Lola.
> 
> Merry Christmas!

“I failed him in life. I won’t fail him in death. Help me find the others like you.” Bruce says, as they stand in the fields of Smallville, watching others mourn the man who many of them had not really known - not completely. In that way, maybe they’d all failed Clark. 

“Perhaps they don’t want to be found.” Diana counters.

“They will. And they’ll fight. We have to stand together.”

“A hundred years ago, I walked away from mankind. From the century of horrors. Men made a world where standing together is impossible.” 

“Men are still good. We fight. We kill. We betray one another. But we can rebuild. We can do better. We will. We have to.”

“The others like me. Why did you say they’ll have to fight?” Diana asks, turning over the idea of helping Bruce.

“Just a feeling.”

“And if I agree to help you?”

“You start there.” He nods across the field, to a lone figure. “Kara Danvers.”

The name does not ring any bells for Diana. “Kara Danvers?”

“Clark’s cousin. Kal El’s cousin. Perhaps you know her by her other name.”

“Supergirl.” She whispers, the pieces falling into place.

“Supergirl.” He affirms, taking in the last Kryptonian left on earth.

**

Kara stares up at the sky, whispers slipping from her lips. “You have been the sun of our lives. Our prayers will be the sun that lights your journey home. We will remember you every dawn and await the night to join you in the sky. Rao's will be done.”

Tears gather in her eyes. She has now had to give the Kryptonian funeral rites for two members of her family. She doesn’t know how much more she can take. But then, there really isn’t any more to take, is there? No more funeral rites. No more living relatives.

“Kara?”

She startles at the voice, wiping at her eyes before turning them to the woman standing in front of her.

“Yes?” The woman is beautiful – striking in a way that captures the attention of everyone who meets her, Kara is sure. 

“I’m Diana Prince. I knew your cousin. I am so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.” Kara says, her voice breaking, as she thinks that this woman probably knew her cousin better than she ever had. “That’s very kind.”

“Kara, may I take you somewhere so we can talk?”

“I don’t think I’m up to talking right now.” Kara sighs, pain in her voice. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” Diana assures, even as Kara turns and walks away. She considers going after her, but something stops her. 

Bruce appears next to her a few moments later, watching Kara disappear up the dusty road.

“She is so young.” Diana sighs.

“She’s older than me, if we take into account the years she spent trapped in a pod in space. But yes, she is young compared to us. She is also becoming older every day.”

“The burden of being a hero.”

“She’s going to need someone, Diana. She’s going to need us.”

Diana doesn’t know if Bruce actually believes that, or if he is just trying to justify his superhero group idea, but she thinks he’s right. Kara Danvers looked broken just then – and not just because of her cousin’s death. She is going to need someone.

Diana intends it to be her.

**

Diana gives it two days before she heads to National City. She is armed with a folder from Bruce, containing all kinds of intel on Kara Danvers. Diana doesn’t read much of it – she hopes that she will find out what she needs from Kara herself and not from words on a paper – but she does zero in on one fact.

When she shows up to CatCo just before lunch time, she is carrying a bag full of pot stickers.

**

Kara is surprised by the knock on her office door. She wasn’t expecting any visitors and was in fact about to change into her suit and take a quick lap around the city. She has been feeling restless and out of place lately, with Myriad and Clark’s death hanging over her. 

She slides her glasses down, using her x-ray vision to see who is on the other side of the door. One of the few perks of her windowless office is that with her x-ray vision, she can avoid unwanted visitors. 

She catches sight of Diana Prince standing on the other side of the door, which is shocking enough. The fact that she is holding a bag full of pot stickers nearly causes Kara to pull the door off its hinges, she opens it so quickly.

“Ms. Prince! What are you doing here?”

“Hello, Kara. Please, call me Diana. And I am here to talk with you.”

“Oh. But – I don’t – I mean – I don’t understand.” 

Diana smiles and drops into the chair that sits opposite Kara’s desk. She begins unpacking the pot stickers as she speaks. “I know you don’t. That’s why I’m here. To talk with you so that you will understand. I brought lunch. A little bird told me that you enjoy pot stickers.”

A little bird or a little bat? Kara wonders, but doesn’t ask, as she grabs a container of pot stickers and a set of chopsticks, settling down into her own desk chair. She will not say no to pot stickers.

“And if you still do not wish to talk,” Diana says, after she gets no response from Kara, “perhaps you could simply eat and listen?”

Kara searches Diana’s eyes as she picks up her first pot sticker. “Listen to what?”

“A proposition.” Diana says, leaning in close, so that her next word would be impossible to hear if not for Kara’s super hearing. “Supergirl.” 

Kara chokes on her pot sticker.

**

“Kara,” Diana assures, still running her hand over Kara’s back, after Kara has managed to stop choking and has eaten three more pot stickers in a time that is not humanly possible, “you have nothing to fear from me.” 

“How do you know who I am?” Kara asks between bites, enjoying the feeling of Diana’s gentle touch. “You said you knew Kal – Clark.” She corrects herself, just in case. “And you know Bruce?” 

The question is there, hanging in the space between them.

“Yes. I knew your cousin – Kal El of Krypton – known here to some as Clark Kent and to many as Superman. And I know Bruce, known to many as Batman.”

Kara opens her mouth to speak, but before she can form the words, she cocks her head, her super hearing picking something up.

“I’m sorry.” She apologizes, already pulling her shirt apart to reveal her family crest. “I’ve got to go.”

Diana watches her disappear in a blur of blue.

**

Diana is gone by the time Kara makes it back to CatCo. Kara feels the sting of disappointment. She is intrigued by Diana and wants to know more about what she has been trying to talk about and who she is.

Kara turns on her computer, typing ‘Diana Prince’ into the search bar as she eats one of the cold pot stickers Diana had left behind.

“Who are you?” She asks, as she looks at the images of Diana that appear.

**

Kara uses a burst of super speed to get to the door when a knock sounds on it the next day. She doesn’t even bother with her x-ray vision, just pulls the door open.

“Diana.”

“Hello, Kara.”

Kara glances down quickly and sees no bag of food clutched in her hands. Her disappointment must show on her face because Diana laughs.

“I thought perhaps we could go out for ice cream today. If you aren’t busy with,” her eyes cut down to Kara’s chest, where she knows the crest of the House of El lays beneath the fabric, “other things.”

Kara perks up. “Ice cream?”

Diana laughs. “Ice cream.”

“I know the perfect place!”

**

They sit in a small ice cream shop that Kara frequents in a back booth, where they are completely alone except for the young girl who had dipped up their ice cream. She is currently staring at her phone and not paying any mind to Diana and Kara, so Diana speaks freely.

“And that is why Bruce wants us to join together. To fight for mankind.” Diana finishes, licking at the ice cream that is slipping down her cone. 

“Bruce Wayne - Batman - wants me to join a crime fighting super group.” Kara thinks that Winn would freak out if he heard about this.

“I suppose you could look at it that way, yes.” Diana smiles. “He believes that people like us –“

“Like us.” Kara cuts her off, licking at the cone. “So, are you saying that you have powers or -?”

“Not in the way that you do. I am not from another planet. Just an island on this earth, hidden from most humans. I am an Amazon – Diana of Themyscira.”

Kara’s eyes light up, everything clicking into place. “You’re Wonder Woman.” Winn would definitely lose his mind if he knew this.

“Such a silly name.” Diana rolls her eyes as she takes another lick from her cone.

“Better than Supergirl.” Kara smiles, crunching through her cone. “At least they call you Woman.”

“So, will you join us?”

The smile fades from Kara’s face, little bits of cone catching on the side of her mouth. 

“Diana, I can’t. I’m not my cousin. I can’t help you and Bruce save mankind. I nearly destroyed my city when I was influenced by Red Kryptonite. Most of the people in the city still fear me. I am not the hero that Clark was.”

Diana studies her for long moments before reaching out and wiping the crumbs from Kara’s mouth and bringing them to her own mouth, sucking them off her finger. Kara’s eyes widen. 

“I do not believe that. The people of National City adore you. You saved them from mind control because you were able to give them hope. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save mankind. You are so very much like your cousin.”

Tears sting Kara’s eyes and she’s not sure why. “It doesn’t feel like it to me. I’m not strong enough. I can’t –“

Diana leans across the table, pressing her lips against Kara’s, brief, but firm. “You are stronger than you know.” Diana says as she pulls back. “Please, Kara. Consider Bruce’s offer. Consider joining us.”

Kara watches Diana leave, her tongue slipping out to taste the ice cream left on her lips. 

“What just happened?” She asks aloud.

**

Her door does come off the hinges this time, because she cannot control her haste to get it open when Diana’s knock comes the next day.

“You kissed me!” She exclaims, looking at Diana. “You kissed me and then you left!”

Diana moves into the office, shutting the door behind her. “I am sorry if my actions were unwanted.”

“No. I mean, yes. I mean… I don’t know what I mean.” Kara admits, blushing.

“I should not have kissed you and left.” Diana says, reaching out to tuck hair behind Kara’s ear. “But I wanted you to know how I see you. You are strong and beautiful, Kara. You _are_ a hero.”

Kara considers arguing the point again, but shakes it off. 

“I thought a lot last night, after you left. I thought about you and Kal and Bruce and about me. I thought about how I took this on myself. I decided to become Supergirl. Just as Bruce decided to be Batman and Kal chose to be Superman. Just as you chose to be Wonder Woman.”

“Choose.” Diana says softly. “I choose to be Wonder Woman, every day.”

“And if you didn’t? If Bruce didn’t or I didn’t? I know what Bruce wants, you’ve explained it very well. But what if I’m not sure if I want it? What if I’m not sure if I even want to be Supergirl anymore, let alone a member of Bruce’s superhero gang?”

“You can fly, yes?”

“Yes.” Kara is confused by the segue. 

Diana moves closer, her hand reaching out and taking hold of Kara’s. “Will you fly me somewhere, Kara? There is somewhere I think you need to see.”

**

Kara’s arms are wrapped securely around Diana. Her long hair is blowing in the wind, catching Kara in the face every once in a while as they move above the clouds. Kara doesn’t complain, because Diana is strong, solid in her grasp, and her hair smells wonderfully. She has struggled in the past when flying with people, but with Diana, it feels natural. There is a slight flip in her stomach and joy that wants to bubble up inside of her.

“There!” Diana calls, pointing down through the clouds, breaking Kara out of her reverie.

Kara goes into a dive, landing firmly on the ground in the middle of a village, carefully setting Diana on her feet.

“Where are we?” Kara asks, taking in the abandoned, dilapidated buildings. It is clear that no one has lived in this village for many years and that even when people did inhabit it, it was under fire. 

“Veld.” Diana murmurs, her eyes trained on a crumbling building that at one time must have been the largest of the town.

“Veld.” Kara repeats. “Germany?”

“Belgium. A tiny village, sitting on the other side of No Man’s Land.” Diana is still caught in her memories. “It was invaded during the war.”

“The war?” Kara asks, her mind beginning to swirl.

“World War I, I believe is the name that has been given to it.”

“Oh. Wow.” Kara breathes. “So you?”

“I was here. During the war. What happened here, it is what almost made me walk away from mankind forever.”

Kara reaches out, puts her hand on Diana’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. I can only imagine the horrors that you must’ve seen.”

“The Germans had nearly destroyed the town when we got here. I defeated them. The people were so lovely and warm. I destroyed this beautiful bell tower to defeat a sniper. But the people of Veld, they weren’t angry that I had destroyed something so beautiful. They thanked us.”

“You saved them. They were grateful.” 

“I will never forget that day. They came out from all the buildings, laughing and cheering and celebrating. They wanted to thank me. Said they were honored to meet me. And when night fell and they were no longer under attack, they began to dance.”

Kara smiles, imagining that. “That sounds lovely.”

“It was. Briefly, as all lovely things in this world are.” Diana’s gaze moves to the place where Charlie had played the piano. “Charlie sang. And Steve danced with me. And it snowed. It was magical.”

“They were important to you.” Kara surmises. “You loved them.”

Diana does not deny it. “But then, it was destroyed. Ludendorff gassed the village. I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t save them.” 

Diana’s eyes close, pain etched across her face. Kara is sure that she is relieving every horrific image she saw that day. “I failed them. And I was horrified. And so angry. I was so angry, Kara. I blamed Steve and mankind and myself. I wanted to walk away, to let them destroy themselves. There were children here, Kara.”

Kara reaches up and wipes tears from Diana’s eyes, before leaning forward, pressing her lips gently to the wet skin of Diana’s cheek.

“I wanted to believe that all people are good. I wanted to believe that every terrible thing I saw humans do to each other was only because of Aries. And when I realized that it wasn’t true, I was ready to walk away.” 

“What stopped you?”

“Steve.” A slow smiles spreads on Diana’s lips, even though it is tinted with pain, and Kara knows that Diana had loved this Steve back then. Probably still loved him now. 

“How?”

“He told me that we are all to blame.” Diana opens her eyes and smiles softly at Kara. “The world may not deserve me. They may not deserve you or Bruce either. But it’s not about deserving. It’s about what you believe. And I believe that only love can truly save the world. So I stay, I fight, and I give. For the world I know can be. Bruce, for all his bluster, is the same. He told me so at your cousin’s funeral. He believes that we can rebuild and do better. What do you believe, Kara?”

Kara looks at Diana and thinks of the past. She thinks of saving crashing planes and fighting aliens and losing Astra and Red Kryptonite and Myriad and Clark. She thinks of how many mistakes she has made and how easy it would be to just walk away. She thinks of how Bruce and Diana don’t really need her. And yet, they both seem to want her.

She thinks of Diana’s words. _“I believe that only love can truly save the world.”_

“Hope.” She whispers, thinking of Myriad. “I believe in hope.”

“Hope. Love.” Diana starts to list off their beliefs. 

“Rebuilding.” Kara cuts in, her eyes going back to the building with the destroyed clock tower. Then, without warning, she uses her super speed and strength to gather up broken bricks and begin to rebuild the bell tower.

“Kara!” Diana calls out, her name tinted with laughter and a hint of joy.

It takes only about five minutes before Kara floats down to land in front of Diana. She is covered in dust, dirt, and grime. “I don’t know what it looked like before but –“

Diana’s hands move to cup Kara’s face, not caring about the dirt. “It looks beautiful.” She says, but her eyes are on Kara, not the bell tower. Then she leans forward, kissing Kara again.

This time when she moves to pull back, Kara’s hands grasp her wrists tightly. “You aren’t getting away from me this time.”

Diana flips her hands to grasp Kara’s in her own, holding them just as tightly. “I was not trying to. So?”

“So, I guess when we’re done here, we should head to Gotham to see Bruce.”

“You will join us?”

Kara leans forward to kiss Diana this time. “I will.”

“Come.” Diana moves forward, gently bringing Kara along with her. “I would like to show you more here, before we go to see Bruce.”

“That sounds perfect to me.”

Love. Hope. Rebuilding. Yes, Kara thinks as she follows Diana, she can believe in all of those things.


End file.
